Legislative Update

Legislative Update

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Here is an update with the latest news from the Capitol.

In this Issue:

Met Council Commentary

Community Events

Peppin’s MinnTriv

Met Council Commentary

Over the past few years, bipartisan calls to rein in the Metropolitan Council have been growing. Legislators of both parties are recognizing that it should be city councilors and other elected officials in charge of important local decisions about housing policy, parks, and other issues, rather than unelected bureaucrats at an unaccountable super-agency.

I have co-authored several bills aimed at restructuring the Met Council board and beginning to roll back its excessive overreach. This week, the Star Tribune published a commentary from myself and several of my colleagues highlighting some of the Met Council's latest problems. In the piece, we highlight the recent non-partisan report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor about the misleading games the Met Council is playing with their budget numbers, as well as the unintended consequences of their mismanagement of the Southwest Light Rail project.

I hope you'll take some time to read the commentary, and share your thoughts with me. What reforms would you like to see with the Met Council? How should the Met Council members be selected? Should we have a regional planning entity at all? I look forward to reading your comments.

Community Events

Get your holiday shopping done at the Craft Show and Sale in Dayton on Saturday, December 2 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Dayton Activity Center (18461 Dayton Street). There are a number of quality crafters and vendors who will be selling goods, so bring your friends and family! They will also be accepting toy donations for the CROSS Toy Drive. For more information contact Bernie Kemp at 612-964-3799.

The Rogers Lions Club is hosting a Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 3 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Rogers Community Center, 21201 Memorial Drive. Kids can bring in a canned food item for the food shelf and get a free picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Free will donation with all proceeds to CROSS food shelf. There will also be a raffle drawing (tickets $5 each) with first prize of a 55 inch T.V.

Peppin's MinnTriv

Thank you to everyone who participated in the last Peppin’s MinnTriv Question. The trivia question from last week was, "When was the last time the Vikings played in the Super Bowl, and who was the last Viking to score a Super Bowl touchdown?" The answer is 1977 and Stu Voight.

Congratulations to Susan Alford from Rogers who is last week’s winner.

Here is this week’s question:

Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes. With over 10,000 lakes in our great state, it is no surprise that some share the same name. How many lakes in Minnesota are called Mud Lake?

The FOURTH respondent with the correct answer will be featured in the next e-mail update!

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In order to best represent our communities, I need to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time. My direct line is 651-296-7806. My email address is rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn and my mailing address is Room 459 State Office Building, 100 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55155.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Sincerely,

Joyce

**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/34A